From TheWashingtonPost.com:

One year ago, I stood with city leaders on a hill in Northeast as we broke ground for affordable housing in the District. When the St. Martin’s Apartments are completed, nearly 200 low-income families and individuals will get a fresh start on life in a wonderful example of the type of effective public-private partnerships the residents of our nation’s capital need.

St. Martin’s is being developed by Catholic Charities, on land owned by the Catholic Church and with funding sources that include the District of Columbia.

Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Washington are committed to continuing to serve the people of the District as we have for many decades. That includes partnerships such as St. Martin’s. Unfortunately, the D.C. Council is considering legislation that could end these kinds of partnerships.

It doesn’t need to be that way. While we do not agree with the council on redefining marriage, we recognize that it is firmly committed to opening marriage to homosexual couples. We are asking that new language be developed that more fairly balances different interests — those of the city to redefine marriage and those of faith groups so that they can continue to provide services without compromising their deeply held religious teachings and beliefs. The archdiocese has not been alone in requesting broader language. Other groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and nationally recognized legal scholars all called for stronger protections for religious freedom in their testimony on the original bill.

For the archdiocese and Catholic Charities, two core tenets of our faith are at the heart of our concerns: our understanding of the nature of marriage and our commitment to expressing Christ’s love through service to others. Under the legislative language before the D.C. Council, the archdiocese would be forced to choose between these two principles. The archdiocese has long made clear that all people have equal dignity, regardless of sexual orientation. But marriage is reserved for husband and wife because of its essential connection with the creation of children.

The proposed legislation offers little protection for religious beliefs, including no protections for individuals, as is required under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Under the bill, religious organizations would be exempt from participating in ceremonies or from teaching about same-sex marriage in religion classes and retreats in accordance with their faith beliefs, but they would be required to recognize and promote same-sex marriage everywhere else, including in employment policies, and adoption and foster-care policies, against their beliefs.

The proposed legislation offers little protection for religious beliefs, including no protections for individuals, as is required under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Under the bill, religious organizations would be exempt from participating in ceremonies or from teaching about same-sex marriage in religion classes and retreats in accordance with their faith beliefs, but they would be required to recognize and promote same-sex marriage everywhere else, including in employment policies, and adoption and foster-care policies, against their beliefs.

So what does this mean?

The archdiocese and Catholic Charities are committed to continuing to provide services in the District. Despite the headlines, there has been no threat or ultimatum to end services, just a simple recognition that the new requirements by the city for religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages in their policies could restrict our ability to provide the same level of services as we do now. This is so because the District requires Catholic Charities to certify its compliance with city laws when applying for contracts and grants. This includes contracts for homeless services, mental health services, foster care and more. Since Catholic Charities cannot comply with city mandates to recognize and promote same-sex marriages, the city would withhold contracts and licenses.

Each year, 68,000 people in the District rely on Catholic Charities for shelter, nutrition, medical and legal care, job training, immigration assistance and more. This assistance is offered to whoever needs it, regardless of race, religion, gender, nationality or sexual orientation. Many of the programs are offered in partnership with the city, which turns to Catholic Charities and other ministries when it cannot provide social services on its own. Catholic Charities has a proven track record of high-quality service, supported through caring, qualified staff, thousands of dedicated volunteers and millions of dollars in financial support from parishioners all over the region. This legislation won’t end Catholic Charities’ services, but it would reduce unnecessarily the resources available for outreach.

We recognize that the council is likely to legalize same-sex marriage. It is the hope of the archdiocese and Catholic Charities that council members will work with us to find a way to better balance interests so religious organizations that have served this city well for many decades may continue to provide services without compromising the tenets of their faith.

The writer is archbishop of Washington.

Women have long been borrowing from the boys for fresh additions to the closet and truth be told, we often look better in their clothing anyways. On the screen in Bonnie and Clyde, Annie Hall, and on the frames of Diane Keaton, Lauren Bacall, and Kate Hepburn for example. These and other glamorous style icons have adapted mens blazers, trousers, hats and neckwear in a decidedly relaxed feminine way that reads, ‘I nonchalantly threw this on…and that’s precisely why I look so stunning.’

I am a fan of menswear-inspired oxfords and blazers. Fitted, of course. Maybe wearing nothing but button-down shirts with a blazer and plaid skirt for 10 years cemented them into my style psyche. Bottom line: everyone looks good in a blazer. Everyone. The uniform-wearing days might also explain my recently resurgent fascination with mens oxford shoes. I love the black and white saddle shoes that the local prep schools require their girls to wear and I have a severe soft spot for suede bucks; so very preppy, so very east coast. I owned not only bucks back in school, but also a pair of black monk-strap loafers, during the 90’s…a little Winona Ryder in Reality Bites with her heavy wingtip oxfords and floral feminine dresses. I never desired to go as far as looking manly, or even androgynous, but loved toughening up my naturally girlie tendencies with more structured pieces.

Church's traditional brogues

My latest shoe craving is in the form of these menswear shoes, traditional brogues: a heavy shoe of untanned leather, born in Scotland and Ireland, usually possessing perforations and wing tips. The best known and best made brogues hail from the British Isles, arguably from Church’s. Each Church’s pair is hand made and has been since 1873, and brogues are their specialty. They’re on my desires list. See also Cole, Rood & Haan’s brilliant offerings.

Oxfords graced last year’s runways and the menswear trend is bearing heavily on fall/winter this year as well. For gents these are an easy, classic, can do no wrong shoe in my book, particularly with dark, clean denim. For the ladies, I think they’re the perfect complement to skinny jeans and loose knits, tights and sweater dresses, bare legs and shorts. There are many iterations: two tone, heeled, flat, smooth, wingtip. I’m craving a light tan, wingtip cognac pair. Not as severe as black, the lighter brown blends into the skin, elongates the leg, and it looks great with navy, my favorite color. (Am I too grown up to have a favorite color?)

Images via Gant, Anthropologie, J. Crew, the Sartorialist, Net-a-Porter

Go get a pair. Tell me how you’ve worn them. Maybe take a picture or two.

For a few more pairs, visit here:

Steve Madden ‘Melin’, Steve Madden ‘Tuxxedo’, J.Crew ‘Elsbeth Oxford’, Cole, Rood & Haan (multiple styles)

This is a hard questions to answer.  It’s one that all of us struggle with from time to time.  Or maybe a little more often than that.  We live in an age were there are so many different styles of worship music ranging from classic hymns to ultra contemporary worship in which you feel like you are at a concert.  Each of these styles affects us differently.  Some of us start working on to do lists in our heads when we hear hymns.  There are those who cringe when we feel the kick drum pounding into our chest.  For some, it’s a particular writer of worship songs that engages us more than others.  For a different group, a certain song writer pushes them away.  For some of us we just don’t enter the sanctuary until worship is over.

Pastor Eric challenged us this week to ask ourselves the question “Which of us is right?”.

In the past year I have learned a lot about how different people view worship very differently.  I have also learned how to approach worship when a particular song or set of songs doesn’t seem to engage me.  I’ll give you an example.  A favored song in our church is “God of this City”.  This is a wonderful song that engages a large portion of our congregation.  This song does absolutely nothing for me spiritually.  I have tried in every way possible to find and engage with God while singing this song.  Nothing.  I actually began to find myself totally disengaging with the entire worship service due to my dislike of this song.  About a month ago though, it hit me.  I discovered how to engage in worshiping God through this song.  It was very simple.  PRAYER!!!  When the song started playing on that particular sunday, God put it on my heart for me to pray.  I found such joy in that time of worship.  It was at this moment that I discovered how to continually engage in worship though I may dislike a song, hymn, or anything else.  It was so simple.  Prayer.  So my challenge to anyone who may read this, if you find yourself being distracted from worship because of a song or instrument or even a bad mix.  Stop and engage with God in prayer.

SK

Church’s gave us a sneak peak at their Spring/Summer 2010 shoe line up. These classic looks will be the flavor next summer, when you are casually making power-moves at your favorite after work spot. With the right get-up, these joints could be the icing on the cake.

Source: Hypebeast

Med hösten börjar påfrestningarna, och därmed kraven åter stiga på de skodon vi använder. Kyla och nederbörd gör sig återigen påminda. I vanlig ordning skulle jag kunna rada upp en oändlig samling brogues då de ligger mig varmt om hjärtat, men försöker här även ge några andra alternativ.

Gällande skosulor om hösten känner jag att varianter med ett lager gummi i botten är ett mer långsiktigt alternativ i våra nordiska förhållanden. Vägar sandade med stenkross slipar obönhörligen ner och river upp sulor av läder, varpå den slitna ytan sedan förses med den sedvanliga saltsörjan om det vill sig illa.

Givetvis kan man med vård och omsorg komma långt med sulor endast gjorda av läder. Själv föredrar jag dock oftast den gummerade varianten. Alla skor jag presenterar kanske inte passar för en promenas på sörjiga landsvägar. Skor väljs som bekant efter omständigheterna de skall bäras under.

Tanned snörkänga från MOMA, 145euro

David Mayer Naman, 185 euro

Trickers Keswick, £245

Dessa finns även att köpa inom riktes gränser för ca 3900:-

Loake Kempton, £126,99

Loake Higham, £106,99

Church Carlisle, discounted £185 (ord £320)

Church Westbury, discounted £195 (ord £320)

Omvandlingstabell för skostorlekar återfinns bland annat här.

We drove around for about 20 minutes trying to look for something healthy to eat for dinner and ended up getting Church’s. Such a bad idea health wise but sometimes healthy is boring.

The skin is a meal in itself.

The best biscuits for a fast food joint.

* Try and not eat too much chicken. Even though it has less fat than beef and pork it’s a small animal and a lot of hormones get pumped into em even if it’s organic. Large animals gets pumped with chemicals too but there’s a reason you can eat beef medium rare and rare and chicken always needs to be fully cooked.

…once again I was discount shopping, but in person not online for once. I took a trip to Bicester Village discount shopping centre and was mega-impressed. Not only does it have an All Saints, Reiss and a French Connection; but a Dior, a Dolce and Gabbana, a Alexander McQueen, a Marni and a Burberry for clothing and a Mulberry, a Salvatore Ferragamo and a Church’s for accessories!

The shops are beautifully designed, like real stores not the usual bargain bucket rummage. And, the stores have items in real people’s sizes, unlike most sale stores that I have been to. The sales assistants are useful and helpful, offering advice and telling you when stock is delivered so you can phone ahead to check for sizes. Although most stock is last season, much of the stuff is classic enough or desirable enough to still be worn (like the Mulberry EastWest Maggie in pink that the Mulberry store had)…

The centre is also helpfully stocked with a Carluccio’s, a Starbucks and a Pret-a-Manger so you can refill while doing all that shopping.

Go there now (or if you’re in Europe have a look at your own versions, the French have Zadig and Voltaire, Givenchy and Cacharel – jealous, moi?)

This shot was taken the day before Easter after the Priests had set the altar up for Sunday Mass.  I’ve always thought that this Cathedral was unique and  very striking.  Most Cathedrals are, but this one is ours and the only one in town if I’m not mistaken.  I thought it would make a good shot and I believe it is.  There’s lots of color and grain and I love the way the Stained Glass stands out.  A great looking Church with this much character will always interest me…even if I tend to avoid them on Sundays.

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Charlotte, NC the Day before Easter. 7 shot HDR.

Church’s full brogues en sandalwood, ese color imperturbable que no entiende de modas ni tendencias. Y en cambio, se adapta a la perfección a ellas: nada mejor que combinarlos con un pantalón de tweed este invierno!

En zapato plano de cordones para chica para mí Church’s son los mejores. En Russell & Bromley están sacando cosas interesantes pero la piel y el acabado no son los mismos (el precio, lógicamente, tampoco).

Para las que no conozcáis la marca, Church’s pertenece al grupo Prada pero manufactura los zapatos en Northampton, Inglaterra. 

Copyright © 2009 de las imágenes y el texto.

An interesting aside: the large grounds have many olive trees that are very old, having been imported from Spain at the time the convent was built.

By Lucille Arneson

Visit to Templo de Santiago in Tupataro On our last day of the tour, after finishing our Continental breakfasts at the hotel, we found ourselves on the way to the town of Tzintzuntzan, which in the Perepechan language means place of humming birds. First, though, we stopped at the little town of  Tupataro to view the very old Temple de Santiago. This is one of the most interesting old structures in the area around Pátzcuaro.

It was built in 1775. Indian artists painted the entire ceiling of wood plank with scenes from the life and death of Jesus, the Christ, and the Virgin Mary. The altarpiece, (retablo) shows Santiago (St. James) in the center with the ?Eternal Father? above him. The dove of peace crowns the painting.

The floors are of wooden planks and cover the places where important people were buried. The portions that cover the tombs are cut and fitted in with the main floor, so they may be lifted. The church, including the painted ceiling, was restored in 1994 by the National Institute of Anthropology, which oversees its maintenance.

This is another place you will want to put on your itinerary, when visiting this area.

Visit to Ex Convento franciscano in Tzintzuntzan

Next, we stopped at the Ex Convento franciscano in Tzintzuntzan, which is being restored and in some parts, reconstructed. An imposing structure, it was built at the end of the 16th century and early 17th, and fell into major disrepair in the ensuing years. There were steps to begin restoration in the 1980s, but the plan hit major roadblocks and the project halted until 2002, when Adopt a Work took over the project.

The central patio is surrounded by arched corridors of pillars, which are awaiting restoration. The inside walls have been mostly restored and they were able save some of the original painted walls, which have been placed over the new plaster to create a most pleasing effect, as they give us a glimpse of what the inside wall looked like when first built.

An interesting aside: the large grounds have many olive trees that are very old, having been imported from Spain at the time the convent was built. I understand they are the only olive trees in Mexico, as Spain decided they didn?t want any competition in the production of olives!

This is definitely another site that you do not want to miss when visiting the area.

Casa Espíritu Libre

The last property on the list for sale was Casa Espíritu Libre in Tzintzuntzan. This is a delightful country home in a delightful setting within a private fenced and gated community with private access to Lake Pátzcuaro. There are views of the lake and the tallest mountain around the lake, Cerro Zirate. There are ten properties in the group and are spread over a five acre area. In the common areas are a boat launch, bodega, residence for a gardner, well for irrigation. All services are provided.

On the first floor is a kitchen, dining area, living room with fire place, two bedrooms and two baths. On the second floor is a lovely sitting room overlooking the lake and mountains, a large bedroom with private bath and dressing room, a small bedroom or large walk-in closet. There is an outdoor grill and Jacuzzi.

The house is built mainly of wood and brick, some areas were reinforced with steel and concrete supports. All windows have double pane 6 mm glass.

This being our last tour on the trip, we were pleasantly surprised to have the owner serve us a wonderful lunch of pozole with all the condiments and then some.

You would have to look far and wide for a better deal!

(This article was first published in October 2008 in my old website).

I dragged my lovely assistant back to the Cross Church in Bluffton, SC to see if I could do better.  I think this one is more balanced.

A gorgeous gothic church high on a bluff overlooking the May river. 

Yes, if you’ve wondering where I’ve been recently, well this and this should give you a good idea. This is our second-to-last day in Milan and the weather’s been scorching, the shows have been EXUBERANT, TOPS, FAB THANKYOU. I’ve been covering them for Buckstyle here so I won’t bore you with the details, but basically A/W 09’s long dark night of the soul seems to be over and the best brands are back on form. Burberry Prorsum, Alexander McQueen, Les Hommes, Giuliano Fujiwara, even DSquared2… all gave me a lot more hope for the future of fashion than the doom-mongers would suggest. We’re not even started on Paris yet, or London, or the trade shows.

Shirt Uniqlo, belt and shorts H&M. Socks Marks and Spencer, shoes Lanvin, bag Carolyn Massey. Bracelets, found and home-made. This is a beautiful stairway outside the Car Shoe presentation- I haven’t actually travelled back in time. Car Shoe are doing initials and personalised colourways on their shoes. Very Car Shoe.

Shirt Uniqlo, jacket Lanvin, denim shorts and belt by H&M, glasses by Oliver Peoples, pocket square from the East End Thrift Store, shoes by Church’s. Bit of string round my wrist from a pair of old tracksuit bottoms, plus a random bracelet I found in a charity shop (excuse the ultra-grainy picture). Me, later, outside the aptly named Cafe Elio, sans jacket.

Customised vest Primark, cardigan Uniqlo, scarf J. Lindeberg, shorts H&M, leggings underneath Material Boy. Necklace worn as bracelet Natalia Brilli, plus vintage silver bracelet I found. Wallet Paul & Joe, with my keys attached.

Shorts River Island, vintage shirt, jacket by Lanvin, shoes Church’s.

It’s just made me realise that I wear the same thing again and again…! I’ve missed out one or two outfits here because it was all in a rush. Paris outfits to come later in the week… paradoxically, time to put away the Lanvin methinks…

In my last post, I mentioned that the business wardrobe has two anchors, suits and shoes. Suits are like Chris Bosh; important but nonetheless subtly overrated. Shoes on the other hand are like Manu Ginobli; people understand their importance at some level and yet they are highly underrated.

You will need a minimum of two pairs of shoes. There are a number of reasons for this, both practical and stylistic. First, it is extremely hard on a pair of shoes to wear them on back-to-back days. Some time apart from your feet in shoe trees are integral for them to last and stay looking their best. The second is that you will need a pair in black and a pair in dark brown. A running theme in dressing for business is trending towards dark items of clothing as dark clothing (other than with dress shirts) connotes formality. Thus, one’s first few pairs of brown shoes should be dark brown and not some of the lighter shades that are often available. In addition, these first two pair of dress shoes ought to be lace-ups as they are far more versatile than loafers. This versatility stems from their ability to be dressed-up while still looking cool with a pair of jeans on the weekend. Finally, shoes are the one item of clothing that is difficult to take short-cuts with in terms of cost. There is an incredible difference between cheap shoes and nice shoes and these tend to be readily obvious to just about anyone. Many women even suggest that shoes provide a barometer for them in terms of determining a man’s socioeconomic status. In the same way that fit is the first thing that people notice about suits, quality is the first with shoes and thus is important to buy, at the very least, one pair of good black shoes. Finally, under no circumstances should you purchase square-toed shoes. There was a brief time almost a decade ago where this style had a moment. However, one should never strive to be trendy in one’s business footwear; it is far better to buy a versatile and traditional pair of dress shoes with a rounded toe.

In order to buy dress shoes, it is important to understand a little about the elements that make up these types of shoes.

First, there are two primary types of shoes in the business world: lace-ups and loafers. Lace-ups. as the name would suggest, have laces, while loafers do not. Lace-up shoes are seen as more formal. A rule of thumb that I use to decide which type of shoe to wear is that when I wear a tie, I gravitate to lace-ups. If I’m wearing my dress shirt with an open collar, I might substitute in a pair of loafers given the slightly more casual tone of my outfit However, depending on the formality of your workplace, this may not be of high importance. As an additional personal preference, I tend to prefer my loafers to be brown given that loafers are less formal shoes and brown is seen as a less formal but nonetheless richer colour than black. A common loafer in the corporate world, at least in North America, is the tassel loafer, which has a small tassel at the front (pictured below at left). The company most famous for these types of shoes is Alden, an American firm. Another common corporate loafer is the penny loafer, which has two small strips of leather at the front in which Ivy-League students once place a penny for good luck, hence the name (pictured below at right). The most famous maker of penny loafers is Bass, who still sell them under the nickname “Weejuns”, a mis-enunciation of the name “Norwegian”. Finally, the moccasin type of loafer was made famous by the Italian company Gucci and often sports a decorative metal piece at the front that resembles (and is referred to as) a horsebit. All of these loafers can be acceptable in a business environment, particularly if they are in a dark colour. Somewhere between the loafer and the lace-up lies the monkstrap which can be seen below in the middle. While not seen to be as formal as a lace-up, they are nonetheless more generally acceptable than loafers and are suitable in many business environments. However, the most versatile type of shoe remains the lace-up.

Moving on, the sole of the shoe can be attached to the upper in two ways: via welts or via glue. Higher quality shoes are welted while lower quality shoes are glued. It is highly recommended that you purchase welted shoes. While they will be more expensive initially, they will last infinitely longer. From my own personal experience, I have two pairs of welted shoes that I purchased over five years ago and have worn regularly that still look nearly brand new (other than some wear to the soles which require replacement in even the best shoes every so often); I also have a pair of glued shoes I’ve owned for two that, while beautiful when I bought them, are falling apart. A cobbler will be very hard-pressed to do anything with glued shoes other than throw them in the garbage, while they can most definitely resole and heel welted shoes. There are two primary methods in which welted shoes are made: either with Goodyear or Blake welts (these are named after the men who invented these methods of constructing shoes). Most bench-made (essentially another way of saying “handmade”) English shoes are Goodyear welted, while Italian manufacturers often use Blake welts; there is a case to be made that Goodyear is superior to Blake, but it is largely irrelevant. All of the shoes pictured in this article are Goodyear welted, evidenced by the channeled stitching on the soles. Both methods of shoe construction will stand the test of time.

Another suggestion would be to steer clear of the shoes sold by most “fashion brands” as they are generally a terrible investment. The quality of shoes from such brands as Hugo Boss and Prada are generally very mediocre compared to the price charged. However, some brands, most notably Ralph Lauren, farm out the construction and design of their shoes to top shoe makers such as Crockett & Jones and Edward Green and thus can be fantastic buys.

The next element of a lace-up dress shoe is the means by which the laces are attached to the shoe. Once again, there are two styles: open or closed lacing. Closed lacing is the more formal of the two and is pictured above at left. The term ‘open lacing’ indicates that the laces are attached via two flaps of leather that allow more flexibility (and thus generally more comfort) for the wearer’s feet (pictured on the right). Personally, I tend to prefer the more sleek appearance of closed lace shoes and I would recommend this style if you are only buying one pair given that it is suitable for even the most formal of occasions. However, so long as you have one pair of closed lace shoes in black, the rest of your shoes could be open laced construction and you would get neither second glances nor criticism. The choice between open and closed lacing is a matter of personal taste to a large degree.

An additional element to any pair of shoes is the existence or lack thereof of any decorative elements. The most common type of shoe decoration in the corporate world, at least in Great Britain and Canada, is the captoe which can be seen on the first shoe pictured in this article on the left. Captoe shoes have the toe stitched onto the end of the shoe via a stitch running across the top of the shoe. They are entirely appropriate in nearly any environment and I would certainly recommend them to anyone starting their shoe collection. Other shoes have holes punched in them in decorative patterns and are referred to as “brogues”. These shoes are less formal than captoes but nonetheless are generally acceptable in any business environment. An example of a brogue can be seen below on the left. In the United States, a particular pattern of brogue, called the “wingtip” is probably the most common style of dress shoe (and can be seen below on the right). Finally, certain high-end shoe manufacturers offer shoes that are made from a single piece of leather and are completely devoid of visible stitches on the upper. These are called “whole cuts” and are both distinctive and relatively formal while still being acceptable in a business context. Overall, versatility should be the goal when initially purchasing dress shoes and thus I would recommend starting with a captoe oxford in black. From there, feel free to explore the world of brogued shoes and whole cuts.

The sole of a dress shoe can be leather, rubber or some combination of the two; all of the shoes pictured in this article have leather soles. It is highly preferable that you invest in a leather-soled dress shoe as they are universally acceptable and if there one thing that One Guy’s Style Blog stresses for those starting a business wardrobe, it is versatility. Furthermore, they are far more elegant and tasteful than their rubber counterparts and often no less comfortable. They can, however, wear out faster and thus certain measures should be taken to protect them. Upon initial purchase, one should have a small piece of metal or plastic called a toe tap attached to the front of the sole by a cobbler. This procedure will likely cost in the neighbourhood of $10 and will greatly extend the life of the sole. Secondly, one should be sure to wipe off sand and salt that may build up on the sole immediately upon reaching one’s destination. Thirdly, I would suggest wearing rubber oversoles in the winter; not only are these helpful for grip, but they will also prevent exposure to the wet and salt.

Finally, it is important to purchase the right size of shoe. Shoes are sized not only for length but also for width and both are equally as important. An ill-fitting shoe will wear faster, cause blisters and lead to discomfort. If you buy your shoes to last, than each of these issues run completely contrary to your purpose.

I have thrown a great deal of information at you in the preceding paragraphs and therefore I thought I would attempt to simplify things by suggesting some manufacturers that make high-quality shoes at a relatively decent price. First, widely available are shoes from American maker Allen-Edmonds (www.allenedmonds.com). Allen-Edmonds shoes are extremely well-made, Goodyear welted and are not as expensive as other brands can be. Another suggestion would be to visit the website for British firm Herring Shoes (www.herringshoes.co.uk) which offers deep discounts on English bench-made shoes (including Church’s, whose shoes can be seen in the pictures accompanying this article) and also offers factory seconds for sale (shoes that were deemed to have minor, often imperceptible defects and thus are sold at a lower price). In addition, Herring’s own brand of shoes are made by Loake, a respected English brand and therefore worth a look, particularly given the price which is less than $200CDN. In Canada, the old firm of Dack’s (www.dacks-shoes.com) makes good quality shoes that can be available on sale at decent prices. Finally, if one’s wallet does not allow an investment in welted shoes, Brown’s Shoes (www.brownsshoes.com) has their own brand of shoes that, while glued, often have higher quality leather uppers and can look far more expensive than they actually are (they just won’t last nearly as long as welted shoes).

If you’re feeling particularly flush, the best shoes in the world are made by makers including John Lobb, Edward Green, J.M. Weston, Berluti, Bontoni, Crockett & Jones and the Ferragamo “Tremezza” line

As a final note, it is best to not shop for shoes at the end of a busy day as one’s feet tend to swell from walking over the course of the afternoon. Leather stretches subtly and this will accommodate one’s expanding feet over the course of the day if the shoes fit correctly in the morning.

Blog post from February 2009.

Demonstrative of my thought process in action, on pondering ’70’s crime films, in this case, ‘Charlie Varrick’ and ‘The Friends Of Eddie Coyle’ after discovering that ‘…Eddie Coyle’ – which is a first-rate Boston-based heist thriller with some of the best dialogue of all time (based on a great novel too), is set for Criterion’s lovingly restored DVD treatment in a few months. This is down to a hint in their newsletter. It also means I opted to refrain from watching a bootleg today. I can wait. How such a film languishes in cultdom is a whole ‘nother topic of rant.

This led to a consideration of Mitchum’s ’70’s output, containing a frugal handful of classics, but classics nonetheless, where he was perfect for these world-weary roles. He was the model of grizzled cool then, but in his first wave of success, he was particularly iconic. On his 1948 arrest and incarceration for marijuana possession, one look truly stands out – somehow he wrangled permission to break prison uniform code to wear his fine-grained Cordovan leather shoes along with his regulation prison attire. To those trying to balance authentic utitilarian looks with costly accessorising today, the brutal truth is that you won’t top Bob. And rather than crow about his sartorial accomplishments online, his presumed intent was to retain some of his glitzy status and freedom by way of footwear.

I’ve never been 100 percent as to the original source of the photo below – photographers and journalists were invited in to share Mitchum’s humiliation, and he in return was apparently very civil. LIFE ran a lengthy piece on his enforced stay, but this image isn’t my favourite. In Lee Server’s biography of the man himself, ‘Baby I Don’t Care’, an image of Mitchum sitting in his cell displays a particularly distinctive blend of basics and luxury. Unfortunately a broken scanner leaves me at the behest of Google Images.

This led me to ponder the shell cordovan shoe.

To answer Red’s enquiry, “How often do you really look at a man’s shoes?” A lot. Shell cordovan footwear is something I aspire to wear. With the leather in question taken from an equine source, and having horsey friends I should feel guilty at this aspiration. But I’d sooner see the hide from it’s rump on my feet than going to waste. Plus I won’t pretend I wouldn’t get a kick from telling them that I’m rocking shoes made from Shergar. More dignified than ending up as glue or canine chow too. For a second I even thought prices might drop, with the tragic slaughter of racehorses due to the current economic climate, but I guess the time consuming process of cutting, vegetable tanning and splitting would still remain.

First created in Cordova in Southern Spain – hence the name – and used to bind books and suchlike, shell Cordovan is also known as ‘crup’ in the UK. Dense, soft and well-wearing, it can apparently be applied to goat or pigskin too. But that would be cheating.

As a Brit, and one who thinks we run the shoemaking game, I have to confess that when we’re talking shell Cordovan, I still instinctively think Stateside. I always imagined Bob was sporting a nice pair of Aldens. These are the shoes I would like to own. The pictured wingtips are pretty impressive.

Alden cordovan wingtips

Alden have been in business since 1884, and their shell Cordovan comes from the Horween Leather Company, based in Chicago. I particularly admire onetime company president Arnold Horween Jr’s declaration that, “As tanneries go we’re not the biggest, the fastest or the cheapest, which means we need to be the best. Our business is built on doing things other people don’t, won’t or can’t.” They’re not cheap. But as well as making exclusive pieces for stores like Leather Sole , Alden reputedly make shoes for other brands too, which means if you buy some Cordovan numbers from Brooks Brothers, they’re from the same source.

Shell Cordovan shoes from Brooks Brothers

Florsheim Imperial were apparently makers of ’status shoes’ in the ’50s and ’60s, but nowadays, I’m not sure as to what’s being produced. They seem to have become a big corporate entity. Seemingly, Wisconsin-based Allen Edmonds is still putting out some great footwear, and they’re famous for using the costly leather too. Rider Boot Co. make some interesting pieces too, including a 7-eyelet wingtip boot, incorporating three speed eyelets.

If you can look beyond the comedy corporate music and voiceover, this Allen Edmonds factory tour is a good watch -

Florsheim Imperial Kenmore shell cordovan longwings – picture stolen from Georgia at Style Forum

Allen Edmonds Cambridge in cordovan – stolen from the excellent Indigofan

As with anything detailed and clothing-related, obsessiveness follows, and there’s much debate over Japanese cordovan. The Shinki-Hikaku tannery, in business since 1951 boasts “More than half a century with horse leather”. I think Warmcraft is their in-house brand. World Footwear Gallery has some amazing stock and great imagery. In Japan, there seems to be huge demand for quality formal footwear, with brands like Spain’s Magnanni rightly deified.

Warmcraft x World Footwear Gallery – made in Japan

Can’t forget about the homegrown legends either. While I think the hunger for ‘crup’ might be more prevailent in the US and Asia, British brands have a heavy rep globally so they all make Cordovan pieces. Crocket & Jones, Church’s (as bought then sold, then bought again) by the Prada group and Tricker’s make some good designs. Tricker’s make some crazy variations on their Stow Boot from the material, in off-the-wall shades like green.

Crocket & Jones Shell Cordovan 2007/8

Tricker’s cordovan Stow Boot in green – pic stolen from Thomas7610 on Style Forum

I don’t really understand the appeal of Augusta and Carol Christian Poell’s pre-distressed laceups. While I’ve got a lot of respect for both labels (particularly CCP), given it’s susceptibility to minor marking/welting from rain, I imagine it’s not hard to get your own special effects from sustained wear, despite its reputation for longevity. Their use of oiled Cordovan is interesting though. While it already has high oil content in the leather, it would make them a little more versatile, but at the same time compromising the original aesthetic appeal. Each to their own I guess. Alden themselves offer a thorough maintainence guide to looking after your purchase on their site.

Augusta pre-distressed cordovan lace-ups

Carol Christian Poell pre-distressed cordovan laceups

Somehow, I don’t think Bob would approve of all this fuss.

You can’t beat church’s flat lace ups….

So it’s been a while since I have had the chance to post up here.  I have really missed it because it gives me the chance to really get my thoughts down coherently.  But now I’m back and ready to go.

So Peacemaker’s Second G revolves around Matthew 7:3-5.  The first time I had heard this passage was on Youth Group ski trip. It was expressed with such gusto and feeling that it has made it nearly impossible to forget  Let me set the scene.  We were in the conference room of a hotel, most of us are tired after a long day of skiing, but still enjoying our evening bible study. My mentor Jeff Reed brought up this passage in regards to our evening bible study.  He took a little liberty with his translation though. So I’ll give it to you in the Gospel According to Reed version.   ” Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye  when you have a huge frigging plank that you have to have to yank out of your own.”  Now add on top of that a really intense expressive voice and hand motions, and you might be able to see why that verse has stuck with me.  It impressed upon me at a young age the importance of looking at my own faults before others.  The difficulty then was to actually do it.

So how does this fit into being a peacemaker.  Well the log in our own eyes at some point has become something that we need or want.  And when we don’t get these things, we become angry and judgmental to the point of taking it out on other people.  This is the portion of the conflict that we are 100% responsible for.  What has become so important to us that it has gotten in the way of our relationship with Christ and with another person?   It is very easy to look at someone else and blame them entirely for the conflict we are in. It is very difficult, however, to figure out what we have done to contribute to the conflict..  To discover this we need to really examine our motives and ask some serious questions of ourselves.  We need to pray and study scripture to discover where we are sinning.  Finally we need to confess to God and others whom we’ve sinned against exposing the log in our eye and ask for forgiveness..  That confession needs to be honest and done with humility.  

One thing that Paul Cornwell from Peacemakers said that really struck me in all of this was that “Forgiveness is only the first step.  It gives you the capacity to resolve your conflict.”  So finding out what my log was and seeking forgiveness for how it affected another person is only the beginning.  It opens the door for me to begin resolving my disagreement and bringing me to unity with a brother or sister in Christ.

Lord give me the strength, guidance, and wisdom to seek out my own faults and issues.  Give me the courage to address them and ask for forgiveness.  Give me the strength to always believe the best in my brothers and sisters in Christ by examining myself for fault first, before I go looking for it in them.

SK

   “Say a prayer before going to Church’s…you’ll need it!  And leave your appetite at home.”  Those are the words of wisdom from GWBF.  This man doesn’t say much, but when he does it often includes gems like this.  GWBF and I sauntered into Church’s recently on my first night back in Wilmington, NC.  We were hungry, it was great to be back in town, and I was in the mood to hit-up someplace new.  We tried one other unmentioned joint which seemed to have gone out of business so these guys just happened to be next-up.  Well, it didn’t exactly rock our world.  

   I expected Church’s to be just like KFC, only with its own twist.  Well I was right on both counts.   It had that whole southern-vibe going on, which I usually enjoy.  There were 5 different ways to get your bird (like Spicy Chicken, which I couldn’t get), 8 side options (Fried Okra and Jalapeno Cheese Bombers were two), 6 different sauces (try the Purple Pepper), along with various drinks and an apple pie option.  The chicken I eventually got wasn’t what I originally ordered, and turned-out to be pretty average at best.  Not trying to be mean, but it reminded me of something I got back in the ol’ college cafeteria.  Nothing stood-out about it at all.  It was eatable and all but nothing to write home about.  The Cheese Bombers I got were ok, but not great.  The biscuits weren’t to bad but Bojangles and KFC do ‘em better.  Honestly, it was the kind of meal where you’re like, “well this is ok but I kinda wish I spent my dough somewhere else.”  Again, it wasn’t horrible but about half-a-dozen other places to eat crossed my mind when I was half-way thru my meal.  That’s never a good sign.  

When we first walked-in I didn’t get a good feeling about the place.  The dining area was a little messy and gave-off a disorganized type of vibe.  When glancing behind the counter I got the very same impression.  It’s not very often that you get a great eating experience when you notice this stuff right away.  One big plus was the friendly service.  Seconds after surveying the environment around me, a booming voice welcomed us from behind the counter, “Hey guys, welcome to Church’s!!”  It was the guy manning the cash register and he seemed genuine with his greeting.  I wanted the new Spicy Chicken but they didn’t have any ready to go so I had to change-up.  No problem.  They brought the food out to us and this sweet lady greeted us with a smile and even called me ’sugar’ (ah, I love the south).  Thing is, it wasn’t what I ordered.  That’s ok…  

We really do hate knocking people here at the Fast Food Addict.  But on the other hand we have to be honest.  We’re only giving Church’s 1 ½ stars, and the half is solely due to that friendly customer service (and they had Mello Yellow!).  The food was just average and did nothing at all to excite us, from menu to plate.  We’re not sure how they’re going to keep up with the competition in light of this, but maybe next time we’ll have a better experience.  Just not sure when that’s going to be…                                                                                                            DT                                                              

By Didi Rose

HISTORY

In pre-hispanic days, Tzintzuntzan (place of the hummingbirds in the purhepecha language) was the capitol of the Purhepecha empire, and had a population of around 40,000 people. It was located on a site in the hills above its current location. It was built on platforms, and rivaled Tenochtitlan as one of the leading cities of Mesoamerica.

The Purhepecha empire was the only Mesoamerican society that was not subjected by the Aztecs, who attacked three times, and who lost three times. Their land included all of the present day state of Michoacan, and much of the surrounding territory. The Purhepecha had technology, especially metallurgy skills, that were unknown anywhere else in Mesoamerica. Even their language is unique, unrelated to any indigenous North American language.

While there origins are unknown, it is believed they may have come from South America, from an area in what is now Peru, and some linguists (though not all) associate their language with the Chichban group. There are also borrowings from other languages, such as Zuni, which indicate that these were a trading people.

During the conflict between the Spanish invaders and the Aztec, the Aztec king sent messengers to Tzintzuntzan asking the Calzonzi, or king, to send troops to help their former enemy. The Calzonzi refused, and he had the messengers killed. Unbeknownst to him, one of the messengers had smallpox, and the Calzonzi was on of the first of the
Purhepecha to die of this dreaded disease.

After the Spaniards defeated the Aztecs and destroyed their capitol city, Cortez invited the new Calzonzi to see the destruction, and offered peace to the purhepecha if there was no resistance. Tangaxoan, the last Calzonzi, agreed, and the Spaniards came to Tzintzuntzan in 1523, and met no resistance. This began a reign of terror that led to the people completely abandoning the city, and hiding in the surrounding mountains. Smallpox killed about a third of the people. There was a valiant uprising led by a princess, Erendira, who stole the Spaniard?s horses and taught her people how to use them, but the rebellion didn?t last long. The first full length movie filmed in the purhepecha language is about Erendira and her rebellion.

Finally, Vasco de Quiroga was sent by the Spanish crown to undo the damage done by the conquistadors, and he set about trying to rebuild the city. The old city was dismantled, as was the Ceremonial center that we today call the Yacatas, and the stones were used to build the convent, and the churches and other buildings for the Spaniards. The location of the city was moved closer to the lake shore. These stones can still be seen today, many of them still have mythical figures from the old days carved in them. All that remains of the old city is the platforms on which it was built.

After the Spanish Conquest, Tzintzuntzan was given the title of Capital City of the Province of Michoacan in 1523. A few years later, Vasco de Quiroga moved the capital to Patzcuaro. The city lost its social and economic importance after 1539, becoming almost deserted.

In 1831, Tzintzuntzan became part of Quiroga municipality until 1930, when it constituted its own. There is a famous painting of President Lazaro Cardenas signing the act making Tzintzuntzan it?s own municipality, located in the Presidencia (municipal building).

Nowadays, the municipality has around 12,259 inhabitants, which work mainly in the agricultural sector. Fishing used to be the backbone of the local economy, but sadly, the fish population in the lake has been played out, and the people had to find other means of sustaining themselves. Some turned to vegetable fibers, the Tule and Bullrush (chuspata) that grow on the lake shore, and they learned how to turn them into beautiful designs for both practical and decorative purposes. In addition to the lake grasses, people also taught themselves to use other vegetable fibers, such as wheat straw and palm leaves, and the legacy of this artistic tradition remains strong today, with wonderful examples of the work for sale every day in the town’s plaza.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The most important historical buildings that can be found in Tzintzuntzan are: Convento Franciscano, Templo de la Soledad and Templo de San Francisco. But the most striking feature of the city is the Yacatas, the old ceremonial center of the Purhepecha empire. These unique round pyramids, which are partially restored, are unlike any other that you will find in Mexico. There are five structures, each with a rectangular shaped side connected to a round portion. They have only been partially excavated and restored. There is no telling what treasure may lie buried in the structures no yet excavated. The views of the lake and the village from the great platform of the yacatas are spectacular.

The lake of Patzcuaro is another natural tourist attraction which provides a high esthetic value to the place. Tzintzuntzan boasts one of the few areas of private property along the lake shore, and contains many vacation homes for the wealthiest families from the State of Michoacan. People use the lake for boating, jet skiing and kayaking.

CULTURAL FEATURES

The primary crafts practiced in Tzintzuntzan revolve around vegetable fibers, but there is also a strong tradition of pottery, both simple terra cotta, and also high temperature ceramics. Tzintzuntzan boasts several internationally acclaimed potters, including Don Emilio Molinero Hurtado. Carved wood and cantera (carved limestone) are also very popular here. Pozole (pork soup with maize) and trout soup are the most popular and typical dishes of the zone.

The Day of the Dead celebration that takes place in November is very important to the people of Tzintzuntzan. It is the only prehispanic tradition that lives on to this day, and is one of the most important fiestas to take place in Tzintzuntzan. Other important cultural events are the Feast of our Lord of the Redemption (Nuestro Senor del Rescate) in February, and the feast of San Francisco, our patron saint. Tzintzuntzan is also reputed to have one of the most passionate celebrations of Holy Week (semana santa) in all of the state.

House for sale in Tzintzuntzan